The 2023 Tour de Pollogne will be a race for climbers. Full route details released this week revealed that there will be a new, demanding 11km summit finish that could determine the overall standings.

Traditionally considered the first major stage race of the second half of the cycling season, the 2023 Tour de Pollogne will start in the western city of Poznań on July 29, from the usual southern location. In keeping with recent race tradition, the finish will be in the country's former capital, Krakow, on August 4. The 2023 race is expected to include Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), winner of the Tour de Pologne in 2021.

After an opening stage in Poznań for the sprinters, the Tour de Pollogne will then move into a more challenging second stage from Leszno to Carpathians. The first 5km of Orlinek is less complicated, with a gentle gradient. Orlinec ends with a 300-meter slope that exceeds 10%, with the steepest gradient at about 12%. Two more hilly stages follow as Pollogne heads east along the Slovak border on stage 3, from Walbrich to Dusniki Zrdoy.

Forty-eight hours later, stage 5 takes the riders through the Carpathian Mountains to Bielsko-Biala, known as the finishing town of Pollogne.

However, stage 6 in Katowice will feature a 16.6 km individual time trial. [2023 The Tour de Pollogne will conclude with a traditional flat stage to Krakow on August 4.

As a preparatory race for the Vuelta a España, which starts on August 26 and is a prestigious event in its own right, Giro d'Italia podium finisher Almeida will participate.

Almeida has won the 2021 edition of the Pollogne and will likely be joined by UAE teammate Rafal Mayka, who won the overall in 2014; 2018 Tour de Pollogne champion and multiple-time podium finisher Michal Kwiatkowski ( Ineos Grenadiers) will also be an important competitor.

Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), who competed in the Vuelta a España and recently won the CIC Mont Ventoux, defeating Mike Woods (Israel Premier Tech), is also mentioned as a talented young French climber.

Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) won last year's Tour de Pollogne ahead of Tymen Arensman and Pero Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), who were both on Team DSM at the time.

Cycling News will have full coverage of the Tour de Pollogne, including an exclusive interview with Alasdair Fotheringham and news.